Reunion
by KissPookie28
Summary: Sixteen years, that’s how long it had been since anyone had seen or heard from Peyton Sawyer


Sixteen years, that's how long it had been since anyone had seen or heard from Peyton Sawyer. The last time Brooke Davis had seen her best friend, the two were in their junior year of high school. Stubborn Peyton had finally found who she thought was the love of her life in Jake Jegalski, ending the dance that Brooke, Lucas, and Peyton had been performing since sophomore year. The one hitch in the fairy tale story of Peyton and Jake was Jake's crazy ex- girlfriend/ mother of his child. She arrived back into town spewing legal jargon about taking her daughter back and never letting Jake see her again. So Peyton and Jake did the only thing they could think to do, they took Jenny and ran. No goodbyes, just a letter saying that they had no other option.

A week ago Brooke had received a notice in the mail, announcing her and Lucas's fifteenth high school reunion. Reluctantly Lucas had agreed to go. Then a couple of days later, Lucas was given a letter at a book signing. It was from Peyton, it listed her address and asked if Lucas and Brooke would give her a ride to the reunion. This time Brooke was the reluctant one, she didn't give up on grudges easily. But as she thought about things she realized that enough time had passed and it was time to let Peyton off the hook. So here they were, driving through an unknown neighborhood on the way to pick up a friend that they hadn't spoken to for sixteen years. Brooke inhaled deeply, she and Peyton were best friends and bonds like that were not easily broken.

"This is it." Lucas pointed to a house on Brooke's right. As they got out of the car and walked up the driveway, Brooke noted how unkempt the yard was. Then again, Peyton was never one for cleanliness.

"Here goes nothing," Brooke whispered as she pressed the doorbell. A ringing could be heard from within then a soft pattering of feet and the door was opened. "Wow," Brooke said before she could stop herself. Peyton looked just as she had in high school, blonde curls all over the place, a bit more eyeliner that Brooke thought was necessary. In fact the only signs that Peyton was not still a junior in high school were the couple of lines that had made their appearance around her mouth. "You look great," Brooke greeted. Peyton looked to her best friend and smiled. Unable to contain herself, Brooke threw herself at Peyton. "I missed you P. Sawyer."

"I missed you too B. Davis." Peyton hugged back. When the two girls broke apart, Peyton stepped back. "Come in." The couple followed Peyton into the kitchen. "Sorry I don't have much to drink, but do you want some water." 

"Fine by me," Lucas answered. Brooke agreed and soon the three were sipping water and talking about old times.

"So what happened after I left? How did everyone take it? Did anyone even notice?" Peyton was full of questions. Lucas didn't respond, he was too busy looking around at the state of disarray. But it didn't matter, because Brooke was eager to respond.

"Well I pulled a typical Broke and pretty much cut you out of my life. But don't worry; I couldn't bring myself to destroy all evidence of our friendship. Instead I just packed it all away in a box and put it in my closet. I still pull it out when things aren't really going well," Brook admitted a bit embarrassed.

"I'm really sorry I didn't say goodbye." Peyton put her hand over Brooke's. Brooke smiled and put her other hand over Peyton's.

"The past is the past babe. Now I hate to ruin this moment, but I really need to go to the bathroom." Peyton laughed.

"The one down here isn't working; you'll have to use the upstairs one. First door on your right."

"Be right back." Brooke stood up and walked out of the kitchen, leaving Peyton and Lucas alone in silence. Peyton stood up and refilled her glass.

"So you and Brooke still together?" she asked. Lucas nodded and held up his hand so that Peyton could see, for the first time, the gold band. "Oh wow, how did…"

"You were gone, Haley and Nate had each other so we kind of leaned on one another. We ended up going to colleges near each other and before I knew it we were married. Delaney came along nine months later."

"Delaney?"

"Our daughter. She's fourteen now."

"Wow, a lot's changed. I can't believe you and Brooke were the first couple from our gang to get married."

"We weren't." Peyton raised an eyebrow. "Haley and Nathan got married our senior year of high school and their son James was born before they went to college."

"They beat the odds those two." Peyton sat down, then noted Luke's change of expression. "Or not?"

"They went to different colleges and grew apart. They divorced before James was even two. It was amicable though, they're still friends."

"That's good." Peyton nodded and sipped her water.

"So how are you Pe…"

"Miss me?!" Brooke asked as she arrived. "So Peyton, I got to ask. I went into the wrong room at first and I found Jenny's bedroom. How do you get her to keep it so clean? I can barely see the floor in Delaney's room." Peyton traced a finger across the edge of her glass.

"It's easy, she's dead." Brooke's eyes widened.

"Me and my stupid mouth. Peyton I'm sorry." Brooke scooted her chair around the table so that she could put her arm around Peyton.

"It's ok."

"Wh…if you don't mind me asking…what happened?" Peyton stood up and moved to living room, bringing back a photo album. She flipped through a few pages and pointed to a picture. Brooke and Lucas looked at it. Brooke smiled in spite of the situation; Jenny beamed up at her wearing a cheerleading uniform.

"She was a damn good cheerleader Brooke. You would have been proud." Peyton blinked a few times and then spoke. "A year ago, Jake was driving her to cheer practice and they got hit by a drunk driver. God I hate cars!"

"Sweetie, why didn't you call me? Lucas? Anyone?"

"I didn't want you to feel sorry for me," Peyton said in a small voice.

"Babe." Brooke put her arms around Peyton and Lucas watched as a girl who had been put through so much hell in her life finally let go. Their moment was interrupted as the song Wannabe played.

"Still reliving your high school years, I see." Brooke touched Peyton's face gently.

"It's a great song." She reached down and pulled her phone. "It's Karen, she's staying with Delaney."

"Go ahead," Peyton instructed as she wiped her eyes.

"I'll be quick." Brooke walked out the door leaving Lucas and Peyton alone yet again.

"So Jake?" Lucas asked, though he didn't really want to pry.

"He died with her; like I'm sure he wanted to." Silence then the banging of the door.

"Delaney was caught in a janitor's closet with a boy. I need to go talk to the principal."

"She's fourteen!" Lucas exclaimed.

"What can I say, she takes after her mother."

"I'm not sure I'm ok with that," he grumbled.

"Too bad. I'm going to call a cab and you can drive Peyton." Brooke pecked Lucas on the cheek then went to her best friend. She wrapped her arms around Peyton. "I love you babe." She pulled back. "I'll see you two at the reunion." And then she was gone.

"So now what?" Peyton asked.

"I don't know, we could try talking."

"About what?"

"What do you want to talk about?"

"How about we talk about the things that happened to us in high school, things we left unresolved." Peyton had always been one for bluntness.

"But the reunion's in two hours, we're going to need at least five times that to settle everything."

"We can at least start."

"Ok you go first."

"Ok well that first time I really met you…." The two began to talk as they always had. They were as comfortable with each other as if no time had passed without communication.

"So I see you're still doing those depressed drawings that you did in high school," Lucas indicated the walls of Peyton's living room that were plastered with black and white drawings. "I would have thought you'd grow out of that." Peyton looked at the pictures and suddenly tears began to fall. "Hey, I'm sorry I meant it as a joke."

"It's not you, it's just that my tears seem to be on the surface ever since…" but Peyton didn't finish because the sobs overtook her.

"It's understandable." Lucas sat down next to her on the couch and put an arm around her shoulders. "You lost the love of your life." Peyton stopped crying.

"One of them," she whispered as she looked up at him. Their gazes locked and before either of them knew what was happening the two were kissing. "Brooke," Peyton said as she pulled back.

"It's ok. Our marriage is on the rocks."

"She's still my best friend. And your wife." Lucas looked at Peyton, the girl who got away. He brushed a thumb across her cheek. "We should get going if we want to make it to the reunion." Peyton stood and moved to the front door. With a sigh, Lucas followed.

"Hey you doing better?" Brooke asked Peyton as she met her husband at the door of the high school. Peyton looked to Lucas.

"Yeah. I'm ok."

"How's everything with Delaney?" Lucas asked.

"Good, at least until her father gets home. Come on Nate and Haley are already here and Haley brought James." Brooke took Peyton's hand and Lucas's and led them under the balloon arch and into the over decorated gym.

"Great memories here, eh?" a voice said behind Lucas.

"Hey man." Lucas shook hands with his brother.

"Hey Brooke, you look gorgeous." Nathan kissed Brooke's cheek.

"Not so bad yourself."

"Peyton," Nathan nodded at her.

"So when did the two of you get so close?" Peyton asked of Brooke and Nathan.

"Since the divorce and Nate decided to call me pretty much every day because he had no one better to talk to." Brooke punched Nathan playfully in the arm. Suddenly Haley entered the scene, dragging along a rather reluctant boy.

"Peyton this is James, James this is your aunt Peyton."

"If she's my aunt where's she been for my past fifteen birthdays?" Everyone shifted a bit awkwardly, but Peyton laughed.

"I went through some teenage angst, and I picked up and hightailed it out of Tree Hill. But I'm back for good now. Expect a great birthday gift next year. Like you said I got fifteen years to make up for."

"Sweet! So I got a question, are you mom's or dad's sister?"

"Neither."

"Mom, how many times do I have to explain to you, aunt Brooke was not really aunt Brooke until she married uncle Luke. So Peyton isn't really my aunt until she marries uncle Luke." Peyton and Lucas exchanged a nervous glance as the rest of the adults laughed.

"Go get your mom something to drink." Haley ruffled his hair as he walked to the punch bowl.

"I'm going to go with him." Nathan followed his son.

"Hey Brooke, I'm supposed to take you to Sarah, she wants to get pictures of the student government."

"Later kids," Brooke waved to Lucas and Peyton.

"Alone again," Peyton sighed.

"Maybe it's a sign."

"Oh come on Lucas, not here." Peyton turned from him. Lucas turned her towards him and then he seemed to be begging.

"Peyton the only reason I'm with Brooke is because you left. And to tell you the truth, I never really got over you." Peyton looked at him into his eyes. Before her head could take over she let her heart make the decision.

"Come on." Peyton grabbed his hand and took him to an empty classroom. As soon as he closed the door she kissed him. "I never really got over you either," she whispered. He smiled and the two began to kiss again. They were so fascinated by one another that they didn't even hear the door open. However, they did hear when she spoke.

"Just like high school." The two broke apart and turned, to see Brooke standing in the door way, she looked angry.

"Brooke I…" Peyton started. Then Brooke's face lit up in a smile.

"Relax P. Sawyer. I've known this marriage was over for a while. We got married too young. And the only reason we stayed together was because of Delaney. But she's old enough to know the truth." Swiftly, Brooke rushed at the two, embracing them. "I love you two." Peyton and Lucas looked at each other, confused.

"What was that for?" Lucas asked as Brooke stepped away.

"Because I don't think you're going to like me much after I tell you what I'm about to tell you." She wrung her hands a bit and then sighed. "I'm pregnant. A boy if my hunch is correct." She placed her hands on her stomach. "And he's going to be a great basketball player just like his daddy." Lucas sighed.

"Brooke just because the two of us didn't work out, I'm going to be there for you and this baby, he's my son."

"No. No he's not." Brooke looked down at her stomach. "For two months now I've been having an affair with Nathan." Lucas was speechless. "I told you I knew this marriage was over. And now you can be happy, with the girl you really love. I wish the two of you luck. Peyton he's one of the good ones." With a small smile, Brooke was gone.

"Luke, I'm sorry."

"Why?"

"Well you just found out you're wife was cheating on you." Lucas shrugged.

"We both knew it was over." Silence.

"Did she give us her blessing?" Peyton asked. Lucas nodded. Then he turned to her.

"I love you."

"I love you too." The two kissed.

Outside Brooke was pushing through people until she reached Haley and Nathan and their son. "James sweetie do you think I could have a moment with your parents."

"I always miss the good stuff." He stormed off.

"Ok this is hard to say, so I'm just going to say it. I'm pregnant."

"You and Lucas are having another baby?" Nathan asked, a bit hurt.

"No." Brooke took Nathan's hand and placed it on her stomach. "We're having a baby." Haley's jaw dropped as Nathan embraced Brooke. The two had a moment of celebration before turning to Haley. "Haley, I know this breaks all sorts of girl codes and I'm really sorry about that. But you know what a great guy Nathan is. He's hard to resist." Nathan took Brooke's hand. "And I want you to be a part of this baby's life. I want you to be his godmother." Haley looked at the two's hands then to their smiling faces. She spoke to the floor.

"Ok, but only because this kid's going to need at least one stable female in his life." She looked to Brooke who jumped up and down and hugged Haley.

"I love you Tutor Girl."

"Love you too Tigger, but you better stop bouncing before that baby gets a concussion." Brooke stopped immediately. Haley leaned down and spoke to Brooke's stomach. "Hi sweetie, I'm your aunt Haley. You have some pretty kick ass parents. And to tell you the truth…" she looked up at Nathan and Brooke. "I always knew they were right for each other." Brooke and Nathan smiled at each other and kissed.

"So you sure you're ok with this?" Brooke asked.

"Of course, I get a god baby. I'm excited." The three were all smiles as they were joined by Lucas and Peyton.

"No blood shed yet," Peyton said to Lucas. "Does she know?" she whispered to Brooke.

"Yeah I know about my god baby," Haley said with a grin. Peyton hugged Nathan as Lucas hugged Brooke. Then they hugged Haley. There were choruses of congratulations.

"Wow our family reunions are going to be interesting," Brooke laughed as Lucas put his arm around Peyton.

"Tell me how they are," Haley said, her face losing some of its happiness. Brooke took her hand.

"Haley you're a part of this family, like it or not. We're all connected by the kids." Haley touched Brooke's stomach and the two girls had tears in their eyes.

"Only because the four of you are too horny for your own good," Peyton joked.

"Excuse me but who was just making out with my husband?" Brooke raised an eyebrow.

"Like you're one to talk," Haley said to Broke. "Who's pregnant with my ex- husband's baby?" The three girls looked at each other and, in unison, moved together into a hug.

"Get in here you two," Peyton motioned to Lucas and Nathan. And as music blared in the background the five held onto one another in a mass of arms and legs. This was one of those moments that people always talk about; it lasts for a short time but stays in your memory forever.


End file.
